Lyrics and translation Pete Seeger - Blue Mountain Lake

Blue Mountain Lake

Come all you bold fellers, where'er you may be
Come set down a-while and listen to me
The truth I will tell you without a mistake
Of the rackets we had about Blue Mountain Lake
Derry, down, down, down, derry down

There's the Sullivan brothers and Big Jimmy Lou
Old Mose Gilbert and Dandy Pat too
As fine lot of fellers as ever you seen
And we all worked for Griffith on township nineteen
Derry, down, down, down, derry, down

Bill Mitchell, you know, he kept our shanty
And as mean a damn man as you ever did see
He'd lay round the shanty from morning till night
And, if a man said a word, he was ready to fight
Derry, down, down, down, derry down
Derry, down, down, down, derry down

One morning 'fore daylight Jim Lou, he got mad
Knocked hell out of Mitchell and the boys was all glad
His wife, she just stood there, and, the truth I will tell
She was tickled to death to see Mitchell catch hell
Derry, down, down, down, derry down
Derry, down, down, down, derry down

Old Griffith he stood here, the crabby old Drake
And a hand in the racket, we thought he would ake
But a couple of the boys come and took him away
"Becripes," said old Griffith, "I've nothing to say"
Derry, down, down, down, derry down
Derry, down, down, down, derry down

You can talk of your fashions and styles to be seen
But there's none like Nellie the cook of nineteen
She's short, thick and stout, without a mistake
And we all call her Nellie, the belle of Long Lake
Derry, down, down, down, derry down
Derry, down, down, down, derry down

Well, my song's about over, adieu to you all
Christmas is coming and I'm going to Glens Falls
And, when I get there, I'll go out on a spree
"Cause when I get drunk, boys, the devil's in me
Derry, down, down, down, derry down
Derry, down, down, down, derry down

Le Lac de Blue Mountain

Venez tous, braves gars, où que vous soyez
Venez vous asseoir un moment et écoutez-moi
Je vous dirai la vérité sans erreur
À propos des bagarres que nous avons eues au lac de Blue Mountain
Derry, down, down, down, derry down

Il y a les frères Sullivan et Big Jimmy Lou
Le vieux Mose Gilbert et Dandy Pat aussi
Un groupe de gars aussi fins que vous n'en avez jamais vu
Et nous avons tous travaillé pour Griffith au canton dix-neuf
Derry, down, down, down, derry, down

Bill Mitchell, vous savez, il a gardé notre cabane
Et un homme aussi méchant que vous n'avez jamais vu
Il traînait dans la cabane du matin au soir
Et, si un homme disait un mot, il était prêt à se battre
Derry, down, down, down, derry down
Derry, down, down, down, derry down

Un matin avant le jour, Jim Lou, il est devenu fou
Il a mis Mitchell au tapis et les garçons étaient tous contents
Sa femme, elle se tenait juste là, et la vérité je vais vous la dire
Elle était ravie de voir Mitchell se faire botter le derrière
Derry, down, down, down, derry down
Derry, down, down, down, derry down

Le vieux Griffith se tenait là, le vieux maussade Drake
Et un coup dans la bagarre, nous pensions qu'il allait le prendre
Mais deux des garçons sont venus et l'ont emmené
"Bon sang", a dit le vieux Griffith, "Je n'ai rien à dire"
Derry, down, down, down, derry down
Derry, down, down, down, derry down

Tu peux parler de tes modes et de tes styles à voir
Mais il n'y en a pas comme Nellie, la cuisinière de dix-neuf ans
Elle est courte, épaisse et forte, sans erreur
Et nous l'appelons tous Nellie, la belle de Long Lake
Derry, down, down, down, derry down
Derry, down, down, down, derry down

Eh bien, ma chanson est presque finie, adieu à vous tous
Noël arrive et je vais à Glens Falls
Et, quand j'y serai, je sortirai faire la fête
"Parce que quand je suis ivre, les gars, le diable est en moi"
Derry, down, down, down, derry down
Derry, down, down, down, derry down